PM’s Office: Meetings Did Not Include LP President

A series of high-powered New Zealand Government meetings were held after the Prime Minister was informed that two suspected Mossad connectives had been arrested in Auckland. But the Prime Minister's office says Labour Party President Mike Williams did not take part.

However, meetings were held on the issue in Wellington that involved the SIS, Police, External Assessments Bureau (EAB) representatives, and advisors.

Scoop had earlier reported that Labour President Mike Williams was involved in a meeting on the issue – but a spokesperson for the Prime Minister said this is “utterly wrong”.

He said Scoop’s report claiming Helen Clark, Heather Simpson, Mike Williams and two others met to discuss the passport case involving two Israelis is completely false.

“Obviously your "source" saw that group in Auckland on 2 April when the people named (in the earlier Scoop article) met with Mark Latham, the ALP (Australian Labour Party) leader. Someone jumped to a wrong conclusion…” the Prime Minister’s spokesperson said.

Scoop understands a number of meetings were held in Wellington that examined information received from the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (SIS), New Zealand Police and its counter-terrorism unit, and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet’s sub-group External Assessments Bureau (EAB) – and mapped a blueprint of how New Zealand should handle the alleged spy threat.

The Prime Minister’s spokesperson would not discuss details of the meetings due to security intelligence considerations.

This considered, Scoop believes the outcome of the meetings saw an information security blanket applied, keeping the lid on the operation while diplomatic maneuverings took place between the New Zealand Government, Israeli diplomats, and intelligence bodies.

© Scoop Media